The boys of Blink 182 get past the crude jokes and grow up

Blink 182

Blink 182

Geffen Records

3 1/2 stars

This isn’t the Blink 182 that you… Blink 182

Blink 182

Geffen Records

3 1/2 stars

This isn’t the Blink 182 that you may be used to. The boys have matured. Well, musically anyway.

Their latest release, which is self-titled, sports a more grown-up sound. Gone are the songs about enemas and farts. And don’t expect a video of the band running around naked to air on MTV anytime soon. None of the songs on this album warrant that.

This release is a huge step in the direction that Blink 182 has taken their entire career, a more mature sound that can help pull in listeners that may not have a taste for the songs about enemas and partying with their pants down.

Yes, Blink has done the serious songs in their past – “Adam’s Song” their anti-suicide song from the Enema of the State album, which got flak from people because they thought it was a song about suicide, is an example. But they’ve never done serious songs about desperation and love. Don’t worry, though; it’s not sappy.

The songs about desperation and love are done the way only Blink can do them, with the edgy, California punk rock style that they bring to the table with every release.

“I Miss You” is a hauntingly beautiful song that features both Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge singing the chorus, asking, “Don’t waste your time on me; you’re already the voice inside my head. I miss you. I miss you.”

“Stockholm Syndrome” starts with a piano playing behind a woman who is reading a letter that Mark’s grandfather wrote to his wife when he was in World War II, the kind of letter that dealt with the missing and wanting of love in a time of desperation. Then the song grows into a powerful track about paranoia.

A new perspective on life, along with several years in the business, has brought a great new sound to the shelves of record stores for Blink 182. Their most recent release is a new sound for Blink and hopefully for a few new listeners as well.